This invention pertains to a device for packaging, collecting, storing, and disposing oil and other products, particularly liquids, and particularly to a device which has a large opening on one of its broad sides so as to facilitate the collection of a product into the device, a smaller opening on a second-side so as to facilitate removal of the product from the device, and sealing means capable of covering both openings so that the product can be stored and transported easily in the device.
The use of containers for storing products, particularly liquids, is well known. Quite often, these containers have a means for facilitating removal of the contents. For example, a relatively recent trend is the sale of motor oil for automobiles in plastic containers with the top portion tapered towards a small opening designed for easy pouring. This opening is often sealable by a screw-on type cap. The use of containers for collecting liquids is also well known. Large drainpans are commonly used to collect oil and antifreeze drained from automobiles and other machinery. The only requirements for such a collection device is that it have an opening large enough to allow liquids to enter the device without spilling, and that it be of size to fit below the thing from which liquid is removed.
A problem arises, however, from the fact that an opening which is of a small enough size to facilitate pouring is often too small for proper collection of liquid. For example, the motor oil container described above provides easy pouring of oil into the automobile, but, unless a funnel is used, it cannot be properly used to collect and store oil drained from the vehicle.
Recently, federal, state and local laws have imposed requirements that waste oil, such as that periodically removed from an automobile or other machinery, be disposed of in an environmentally safe manner. This is in an attempt, among other things, to prevent the leaching of waste oil into the groundwater. For example, many laws require that waste oil be disposed of at service stations or other designated disposal sites. This means that after collection waste oil has to be stored and transported to such site. It has become necessary, therefore, in light of the limitations above, to collect the oil in one container and physically transfer it to another for storage and transport to the disposal site.
Many problems arise peculiar to the collection, storing during transport, and disposing of waste oil. One cause of problems is the high viscosity of oil and its propensity for adhering to surfaces with which it makes contact. Such adhering oil cannot be sufficiently removed by wiping with a cloth, and attempts at rinsing such oil off the surface are largely ineffective and result in further adding to the problems of polluting the groundwater. Even if removal of oil is accomplished by rinsing with water, and assuming a means to prevent groundwater leaching is provided, the proper disposal of the combination rinse and waste oil would be costly and burdensome. A funnel used to facilitate collection into a container with a small opening also must be rinsed clean, as must any container on which a surface contacting oil is exposed, and this adds to the problem of groundwater leaching.
Like oil, anti-freeze is a pollutant to groundwater, and is harmful to those who come into contact with it. It is important, therefore, that it also be collected and transported in as spill-free manner as possible.
There also exists the problem of properly collecting and transporting rinse, drained oil and other liquids which result from cleaning oil filters, small parts, etc. For example, waste solvents such as Trichloroethane and Freon often need to be disposed of in a manner similar as that described above for oil.
There also exists a problem of storing and transporting a large object, such as a dirty oil filter, to a proper disposal site. The discarding of a dirty oil filter in the household garbage results in adding oil to the groundwater.
Therefore, there exists a need for a simple, cost effective device which will allow for efficient collecting, storing, and disposing of waste oil and other products, particularly liquids. A more particular need is for a device which will allow for the easy collection of oil as it is drained from an automobile, the ability to seal such device so that it can cleanly contain the waste oil as it is transported to the waste disposal site, and the easy pouring of the contents once there. It is especially important that these steps be performed without oil contacting and adhering to the side of the container, and without spillage of the waste oil.